Total Days: 8.5
Total Kilometres: Approximately 140 kilometres
Total Portage Length: 21.690 kilometres
Longest Portage: 3.75 kilometres (Big Crow Lake to Hogan Lake)
Average Daytime High: 24.25 Celsius
Average Nighttime Low: 13.67 Celsius
Route: Canoe Lake – Joe Lake – Little Joe Lake – Baby Joe Lake – Burnt Island Lake – Little Otterslide Lake – Otterslide Lake – Mike’s Lake – Shiner Lake – Happy Isle Lake – Hailstorm Bay – Lake Opeongo (North Arm) – Proulx Lake – Crow River – Little Crow Lake – Big Crow Lake – Hogan Lake – Little Madawaska River – Lake La Muir – Big Trout Lake – White Trout Lake – Petawawa River – Misty Lake – Timberwolf Lake – McIntosh Lake – Straight Shore Lake – Rosswood Lake – Brule Lake – Potter Lake – Potter Creek – Canoe Lake
Maps Used: Friends of Algonquin Provincial Park Canoe Routes 2016-2017, Chrismar Algonquin 1 Corridor North, Jeff’s Map -Central- -Western-
After a very busy summer it was finally time to go on our annual canoe trip! Back in April we booked our lakes with Ontario Parks 5 months to our start date which is the earliest one can book. This time around we will be launching from Canoe Lake and paddle/portage as far north as Hogan Lake which lies in the interior of the park.
We left on a Friday evening and only made it as far as Kitchener/Waterloo when the turbo on our 2005 Subaru Outback decided to fail. We ended up having to stay overnight in a motel and slowly limp the car home early the next morning. Lucky for us, Marianne’s Dad suggested we use his truck as a backup, and after a couple of hours of figuring out how to tightly secure the canoe on top of the truck’s cap, we were off again!
The canoe trip itself was great, and though it was mid September a heat wave made it one of the hottest trips we have ever had. The above average temperatures, plus recent rains brought out the biting insects which seemed to grow in abundance daily. Due to all the recent rain this was also the muddiest canoe trip we have ever been on. Still wouldn’t trade it in for a sit on your butt tropical vacation at a resort!
DAY # 1: Canoe Lake Launch to Burnt Island Lake
Weather: Sunny skies. High: 22 Celsius Low: 15 Celsius
We began our morning looking forward to one last hot shower at the family cottage. Unfortunately we were denied this luxury as the water pump, which was quite ancient, finally decided to give up the ghost. Looks like we have a project as soon as we get back from the bush.
We arrived at the Canoe Lake launch in Algonquin Provincial Park, picked up our permit, and launched from Canoe Lake by 10:45 am. For one of the busiest launches in the park it wasn’t that crowded and there was only one other group ahead of us in line to get their permit. This will most certainly change as temperatures were forecasted to go up and the fall colours were just starting.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky today and we were quite happy that the winds remained calm as we paddled across Canoe Lake. 11:00 am seemed to be rush hour on this particular lake as we observed a fleet of canoes head towards us on their way back to the launch. We stopped onshore at the Tom Thomson cairn and totem on the peninsula near the lake’s north end to stretch our legs and have a snack. A hundred years ago this year the famous Canadian painter drowned on Canoe Lake with many conspiracy theories on whether he was murdered or perhaps the experienced canoeist had a tragic accident. Going even deeper into the mystery is where in fact Tom Thomson is currently laid to rest. Two theories currently exist. One is that he is in fact at the cemetery in Leith, Ontario. Another theory is that he still rests at the Mowat Cemetery. Mowat was a former community on the western shore of Canoe Lake where he was initially buried after the tragic accident, though at the family’s request they wanted his remains to be brought to Leith at the family plot. Apparently the grave digger wasn’t licensed and didn’t want to dig him up so the family may have be given a coffin that was filled with rocks etc. Many locals of Mowat at the time claim that the hole dug was by no means deep enough to have dug up the body. The story actually goes even deeper than this that involves individuals who dug up a skull at the Mowat cemetery, and even facial reconstruction based off of photos from that skull, but we’ll leave that up to the reader to dive even deeper into this mystery. One fact that remains true to this day is that some of his paintings from Algonquin Park are the most influential and iconic in all of Canada.
Our first portage was an easy 290 metres around a dam into Joe Lake. It was time to truly test our new Osprey packs on their inaugural trip. With the heavy weight Marianne’s pack sagged too far down her rear end and it would take two days of adjusting straps to have it fit properly on her shoulders, back, and hips without any pain. Aaron had a bigger issue with his new backpack in that the internal frame extended higher than his old pack, which prevented him from resting the yoke of the canoe on his shoulders. Long story short portaging the canoe with the pack on was not going to happen, and we would have to double over every single portage for the whole trip. We have some lengthy portages coming up in the next few days…..
Due to this year’s high water levels we didn’t have to worry about our packs for the next portage, as we paddled right past the 120 metre from Little Joe Lake to Lost Joe Lake. This was the same spot two years ago where we saw a couple of ladies attempt to paddle upstream….and …up rocks…it didn’t go well.
Issues with our new packs continued during the 430 metre into Baby Joe Lake when Aaron tried to adjust the chest strap on Marianne’s pack and broke the plastic clip. Now don’t get us wrong, Osprey backpacks are excellent, though prior to the trip we should have packed them with a lot of weight and walked on level ground and uphill, adjusting the straps properly.
One last portage for the day was the 190 metre into Burnt Island Lake and we actually had the wind at our backs as we paddled the lake! On our last trip back in 2015, 40kpr head winds caused us to be wind bound on this lake for three whole days!
We arrived at our site near the eastern end of the lake around 3:15 pm. It was a nice small campsite with a great seating area, okay firepit, and a flat spot for the tent. The only downside was the used toilet paper on the ground, not in thunderbox where it belonged. After sunset we had a fire and listened to the wailing cries of Common Loons echoing across the lake. We also had a visitor at our fire pit, a Woodland Jumping Mouse searching for scraps. We have never seen one before so this was great!
Wildlife Sightings: Common Loon, Wood Duck, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Herring Gull, People, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, Hairy Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, Red Squirrel, Mosquitoes, Woodland Jumping Mouse
Remember to: Test and adjust brand new packs BEFORE going on a backcountry canoe trip.
DAY # 2: Burnt Island Lake to Happy Isle Lake
Weather: Sunny skies. High: 24 Celsius Low: 10 Celsius
We were greeted this morning with sun and cool temperatures. After a big bowl of oatmeal and another quick fire we were on the water by 9:00 am. While paddling the canoe towards the portage that lead to Little Otterslide Lake we noticed a solo paddler that we also saw yesterday in a white kayak. We would see him throughout the day today as we both headed towards Happy Isle Lake. We find it a little odd when we see a person backcountry camping in a kayak as it seems so much of a hassle. In a kayak you have to stash your stuff in various compartments in your boat, and then at every portage you have to gather it all and place it in one pack before heading down the portage. With a canoe all you have to do is toss your pack in and out of your boat and you’re well on your way.
As for portages, we had four today. The first, a 780 metre from Burnt Island to Little Otterslide Lake was muddy as was the second from Otterslide to “Mike’s Lake” at 540 metres. It was at the end of this particular portage we decided to sit down, have a quick lunch of instant freeze dried meals, and chat with the man in the white kayak. After a short paddle we reached the 1,855 metre portage to Shiner Lake. This portage was kind of brutal as it was our first real lengthy portage for the trip, plus there was both muddy, and ankle destroying rocky sections. As you can guess by now the muddy trend wasn’t going away any time soon. Besides dodging rocks and mud holes on portages, we also had to avoid stepping on tiny toads on them as well. The last portage for today was a fairly easy 930 metre into Happy Isle Lake, where we wished the man in the white kayak a happy rest of his trip.
Happy Isle Lake is a pretty nice lake. We saw people at the island campsite, which was also the only island on the whole lake. We decided on the peninsula site on the north shore and arrived around 5:00 pm. It was a nice site with a flat spot for the tent, and the firepit was out of the wind at a lower section right next to the lake. We both planned to take a bath in the lake to take the stink off but the water was ridiculously cold, the kind of cold that actually hurts! After setting up the tent, it was time to chill and take in the peaceful evening at our site. We saw a couple trying their luck at fishing near the island campsite, while a pair of loons drifted by. As the breeze calmed we made a small smoky fire to ward off the bugs.
We had a pretty good day today for our first full day in Algonquin with our usual mix of paddling and portaging.
Wildlife Sightings: Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay, Red Squirrel, American Toad, Black-throated Blue Warbler, People, White-throated Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Garter Snake, Hairy Woodpecker, Mosquito, Herring Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Yellow-rumped Warbler
Remember to: Drink more water. We definitely didn’t drink enough water today as it continued to get warmer.
DAY # 3: Happy Isle Lake to Big Crow Lake
Weather: Sunny skies. High: 25 Celsius Low: 12 Celsius
After a hearty breakfast of honey granola with powdered milk and rehydrated apples, we left our site on Happy Isle Lake at 8:30 am in the midst of warm sunny skies. We paddled past the Delamater Memorial plaque that is located on a rock on the south side of the island. It is a memorial to a father and son that lost their life during a “hurricane” that went through the area back in August of 1931. We dug a little deeper into the history of the hurricane that supposedly went through Ontario that day, but it appeared that there was never a hurricane that month, let alone that year, that tracked through Ontario. Doing a little more research it was a squall that swept over this lake (then known as Green Lake) and other lakes in Algonquin. “Happy Isle” was actually the name the father and son gave to the island campsite on the lake which was their favourite spot to camp. After their death, the island was officially renamed Happy Isle, and later Green Lake followed suit being renamed Happy Isle Lake.
Our first portage was the longest for the day, a 2,150 metre form Happy Isle Lake to the Hailstorm Bay section of Lake Opeongo. Though long it was relatively flat with only a few muddy sections where we observed moose and deer tracks. Along this portage we caught the unmistakable smell that was identical to a cow farm which we smelled three times while doubling over. The tricky part along this portage was where a beaver dam caused part of the wooden boardwalk section to float and even sink a bit when you stepped on it, making this portage more exciting/frustrating.
After we dropped off our packs at the end and made our way back for the canoe, we encountered a group of six guys that were spending their last night in Algonquin Park on Lake Opeongo before being picked up. Most of the group put in at Hailstorm Bay (which included a dock!) when we arrived back with the canoe, and we decided to wait and have lunch until most of the group cleared their canoes from the put in. It was during this moment that Aaron noticed that we had only 1 paddle next to our packs. We looked around and turned to ask the two remaining guys from the group how many paddles they had. Turned out they had three, but they all had the “Algonquin Outfitters” logo marked on them and were rather short. Someone from their group that already left into Hailstorm Bay dropped their packs and paddles right beside ours (which you really shouldn’t do) and accidentally grabbed one of our paddles instead of theirs (and almost loaded one of our packs since it had been moved 6 feet to the left!). Luckily the group didn’t go far and we shortly exchanged paddles.
Paddling into the North Arm of Lake Opeongo we could see of how huge this lake actually is! As noon approached the temperature steadily rose, and with very little breeze we were beginning to sweat. There were a few motorboats on the water enjoying the late summer heat. We were quite glad to get out of the canoe and onto our next portage, a 1,290 metre into Proulx Lake, to get into the cooler shade. Except at the Lake Opeongo end, the portage was relatively flat, however the entire way it was somewhat infested with mosquitoes and we got bit repeatedly on the arms and on the back of the neck.
After a quick paddle to the north end of Proulx Lake we entered the Crow River which was an easy paddle as we paddled with the current through a new landscape of open marsh lined with tamaracks. We kept an eye out for Moose, but the only wildlife we saw were Wood Ducks and a Great Blue Heron. It was around this time we heard what sounded like a fighter jet going over, though looking around we couldn’t see anything. This kinda made us pause for a bit with thoughts of what might be going on in our big crazy world while we were off grid.
After winding along the river and snapping some photos we eventually exited the river. After a brief paddle through Little Crow Lake we entered our last lake for the day, Big Crow Lake.
We picked a site across the old fire tower. This is the only fire tower remaining in the entire park, though the cab was struck by lightening completely burning it in 2011. As soon as we got to our site we wanted to get our sweaty butts into the lake to cool off. Big Crow Lake wasn’t nearly as cold as Happy Isle Lake, and we felt a lot more refreshed after drying off. Later we jumped back into the canoe and pumped water while taking in the calm of the evening. Our site here on Big Crow was fairly large, with a few widow makers around, and a small spot to swim. As evening approached the mosquitoes and no-see-ums (biting midges) showed up, se we retreated to the tent early.
Tomorrow we were to tackle the longest portage for the trip, a 3,750 metre from Big Crow Lake to Hogan Lake. Earlier today we ran into a couple of guys that just did this same portage and they said it was incredibly buggy….We plan to tackle it as soon as possible tomorrow morning.
Wildlife Sightings: Black-throated Blue Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Eastern Chipmunk, Northern Raven, Blue-headed Vireo, Ruffed Grouse, Wood Duck, Common Loon, Moose and Deer Tracks, People, Mosquitoes, No-see-ums, Ruffed Grouse, Double-crested Cormorant, Herring Gull, Turkey Vulture, Garter Snake, Merlin, American Toad, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Belted Kingfisher
Remember to: Always be nice to fellow paddlers….in case they steal your stuff and you have to ask for it back!
DAY # 4: Big Crow Lake to Hogan Lake
Weather: Fog in the morning with sunny skies for the rest of the day. High: 26 Celsius Low: 10 Celsius
We got up before sunrise, had some tea and Kind Bars, and were on the water just after 8:00 am. Our goal was to take on the 3,750 metre portage from Big Crow Lake to Hogan Lake while the weather was still relatively cool, and the mosquitoes hopefully not very active. The paddle towards the portage was nice and cool with fog on the lake, and as we approached the portage we could make out the sign that stated both the 3,750 metre portage and the 5,570 metre cart trail.
Aaron decided to portage the canoe first before the mosquitoes got active, as it is easier to swat mosquitoes with a pack on instead of a canoe over your head. The first section of the portage, being part of the cart trail, was nice and flat. About a third of the way the real portage began while the cart trail continued off to our right. The easy going of the flat cart trail was now over and it was back to the usual hilly sections, flat sections, and muddy sections that make portages fun! About halfway we arrived at a gravel road, which we guessed was a logging road. Eventually we crossed over the cart trail again and after a bit more portaging we made it to Hogan Lake. During the walk back to grab our packs the mosquitoes began to show up. Arriving back at Crow Lake for our backpacks we decided to break into them for our spray and treat our arms and necks to some Deet. When the portage was all said and done once we arrived back at the Hogan Lake end with our packs, it took us a mere four hours to cover over 11 kilometres! That’s good timing for doubling over isn’t it?
It was now midday, and with the sun but hardly any breeze it was very hot! The fall colours here were still around 10% leaf change in this section of Algonquin Park. Our site, which was on a large irregular shaped island was near tomorrow’s portage.
Looking around you could tell at one point there was a fire here as there were both charred and dead trees, so we made sure that no widow makers were near our tent. In the afternoon heat we went for a cool dip in the lake, rinsed off our clothes, and hung them over the thwarts and yoke of the canoe to dry in the hot afternoon sun. Aaron, who was not used to the heat, felt really exhausted and had a nap in the tent while Marianne, who’s greenhouse job made her well adapted to the heat, explored the site and the bird life that included some Red Crossbills, and a Black-backed Woodpecker.
Around 5:00pm we pumped some water for supper and saw three canoes go by. After supper we had a fire and heard some Canada Geese migrate over. We had a red hot sunset this evening and listened to the Environment Canada forecast which indicated a humidex into the low 30s for the rest of the trip. The mosquitoes and no-see-ums are gonna love that….and us!!
Wildlife Sightings: Moose tracks, Common Loon, Common Merganser, Blue Jay, Eastern Chipmunk, Red Squirrel, Garter Snake, American Toad, Bullfrog, Ruffed Grouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Mosquito, No-see-ums, Palm Warbler, Red Crossbill, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Phoebe, Black-throated Blue Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, People, Black-backed Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Canada Goose.
Remember to: Keep the daily length of portages under three kilometres.
DAY # 5: Hogan Lake to Big Trout Lake
Weather: Foggy in the morning giving way to sunny skies. High: 26 Celsius Low: 12 Celsius
We woke up before sunrise (because we are on vacation) and made it onto the water and fog by 8:20 am. The fog was so thick that we had a hard time finding the 710 metre portage from Hogan Lake to the Little Madawaska River. While trying to find our way we ran into a family of River Otters that were not very happy to see us. While one of the parents kept swimming ahead of our canoe, popping up once in a while to chuff at us, the rest of the group swam to shore and ran off into the bush.
The 710 metre portage was pretty easy going with a steep section at the beginning. Paddling through some shallow water along the Little Madawaska River we soon entered the expanse of Lake La Muir. It was incredibly calm this morning with barely a ripple on the water. With everything so still sound carried far this morning, and we could hear heavy machinery in the distance with what sounded like the combination of a wood chipper and a bulldozer. Logging still continues in the park today so maybe that’s what we were hearing. After a lengthy paddle we reached the 2,590 metre portage into Big Trout Lake. This portage was long and it was getting very hot, though lucky for us most of it was nice and flat! We were a sweaty mess when we arrived with our packs to the put in at Big Trout Lake, and we were very fortunate that the mosquitoes were not that bad at all. Greeting us next to the put in, barely visible on a log, was a Ruffed Grouse drumming.
Big Trout Lake is a big and beautiful lake with a landscape of rolling hills, and is dotted with both mainland and island campsites. We paddled around to some sites hoping to find one that was worthy of us spending two nights on. We choose an island with two sites near the centre of the lake. Looking over both sites we decided on the more northerly site as it would give us a lot more shade from the heat.
We hoped that no one would take the other campsite so that the whole island would be ours. After setting up camp and having some homemade chili we jumped into the lake to remove the sunscreen and Deet off our skin. Aaron relaxed in the tent to read the park newspaper while Marianne sat at the fire pit and watched some canoes go by. Tonight we had a fire, though the bugs made us retreat a bit early to the safety of the tent where we looked over our maps. Eventually we turned off our headlamps for the night, while a lone Barred Owl called for it’s dinner in the distance.
Wildlife Sightings: Ruffed Grouse, River Otter, Canada Goose, Moose Tracks, People, Red Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, Black-and-white Warbler, American Toad, White-throated Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Wood Duck, Mosquitoes, No-see-ums, Barred Owl
Remember to: Keep all portages under three kilometres per day…yup we wrote this twice.
DAY # 6: Big Trout Lake
Weather: Sunny with a few clouds by afternoon. High: 25 Celsius Low: 15 Celsius
Day off today on our island campsite on beautiful Big Trout Lake! We actually slept in until 7:30 am and began our day with on of Aaron’s epic campfire pancakes with peanut butter, strawberry jam, and even a little pack of honey that Marianne got from her Gramma. Yum! We also had a package of instant coffee which we mixed in with our tea making it sub par at best. Being our day off it was time to do some chores that included washing clothes, making water, and we even moved some rocks at the put in/take out so that others would no longer scrape their canoes. We also played a round of UNO in our tent.
We had some canoe traffic go by our site today. The demographics included both male and female travelers looking to be in their mid twenties to mid thirties bracket. With such unseasonably warm temperatures a lot of people are probably booking Algonquin and other Ontario Parks this weekend.
For lunch we made homemade bannock and added Mary Jane’s brand Black Bean Hummus. It tastes great, though visually it looks like someone dropped a big messy deuce on it.
Marianne took advantage of the warm weather and bathed in the lake while Aaron started to read the SAS Survival Guide that we bring on every trip. Today we realized that our island isn’t big enough to support a Red Squirrel or even a Chipmunk as we saw none. We also noticed that there were nails everywhere around the immediate campsite. Multiple nails were in a tree, the odd nail on the ground near the fire pit, and a bag of nails nailed on a homemade shelf someone made….with nails.
After supper we took the canoe out to fill up our water supply for tomorrow’s journey to Misty Lake. We made a fire this evening, but again we had to retreat early to the tent as the mosquitoes and no-see-ums came out. The Barred Owl once again announced its’ presence to creatures that make up the night shift, while Common Loons wailed on and off during the night.
Without a doubt, Big Trout Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes we have ever visited in Algonquin Provincial Park, and future canoe trips here are a must!
Wildlife Sightings: Sandhill Crane, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Loon, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, People, Blue Jay, Belted Kingfisher, Red Crossbill, Brown Creeper, Mosquito, No-see-um, Barred Owl
Remember to: No remember to today! YAY!
DAY # 7: Big Trout Lake to Misty Lake
Weather: Sunny skies, with sun and clouds and a breeze in afternoon. High: 25 Celsius Low: 16 Celsius
We had a big day today so we were up before dawn around 6:00 am. We left our site around 7:40 am onto the beautiful waters of Big Trout Lake and made our way into White Trout Lake heading towards the Petawawa River.
While on White Trout Lake we checked out the remains of the McLachlin Brothers Depot Farm on the north side of the lake. You can observe from the canoe where the depot farm was as it still retains the look that it was once cleared land. As we explored the area it was now overtaken by brambles, what looked like wild strawberry plants, and an interesting fruit tree. With a little more exploring we also found what little remained of any structures that were once built here. The farm was created by the McLachlin Brothers who, along with other lumber entrepreneurs such as J.R Booth, created a business of supplying lumber to the growing cities in the United States by driving down logs to mills. The depot farm located here supplied lumber camps and there may have also been a few crops and even the odd livestock at this location. With what appeared to be an old cherry tree plus wild bramble fruit around the area we also found some bear scat, so we made sure we were quite vocal while we were exploring. Other items we found were a few buckets, and some old pottery and glass.
Finding the entry to the Petawawa River can be a little tricky, but thankfully the park had a couple of signs placed right in the water to help guide your way. The first four portages along the Petawawa went around some rapids and were pretty easy going. Paddling upstream was not a problem, and the high water worked in our favour as we skipped the 160 metre portage, though we did bump into a few rocks. It was during this point in the day that we noticed the wind was starting to pick up for the first time on this whole trip! The last portage at 840 metres, had some steep sections, a muddy section where you had to watch your footing, and boy was it getting hot! There was also a dam along this portage, but we couldn’t see it through the trees. We finished this last portage around 1:15 pm and entered Misty Lake. We had a little bit of a head wind that actually felt nice as it dried off the sweat that was pooling on our skin and clothes!
Fall colours greeted us here in more abundance than any other part of the trip with even a few maples already at 100% leaf change glowing with brilliant oranges and reds. We landed at a large island that held three sites, our site being in the middle well out of view of the other two. It was an okay site with a messy fire pit that had some garbage in it including tin cans. Over the top though were the nearly 10 grates that were scattered around the firepit and seating area. A fish hook was also found stabbed in a tree with the lure still attached. The spot for the tent was not completely level but it did the trick, and a nice flat shallow spot in the water for bathing is always welcome.
After another hot day Aaron was pooched so as soon as we set up the tent he took a nap inside. Later in the afternoon some clouds began to roll in and the forecast called for showers and even a thunderstorm in the next 24 hours so we may have another early start tomorrow. We were not the only ones on this lake as we saw at least one other person across the lake at another site, their headlamp barely visible as night fell. After supper we took the canoe out to pump some water and got pretty close to a Common Loon that wasn’t bothered by our presence. Tonight we had a pretty good fire to keep the bugs away and we were quite surprised to see a canoe go by well after dark with red lights mounted on their boat. Could they really see where they were going with those little red lights?
Wildlife Sightings: Moose Tracks, Beaver, Wood Duck, Bald Eagle, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-winged Crossbill, Blue Jay, Great Blue Heron, Eastern Chipmunk, Red Squirrel, Canada Goose, Golden-crowed Kinglet, Barred Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Common Merganser, People, Northern Raven, Mosquito, No-see-um
Remember to: Two double rolls of toilet paper for two people lasts only seven days! Marianne brought an emergency 1/3 of a roll in her rain jacket, which had its first use today!
DAY # 8: Misty Lake to Potter Lake
Weather: Light rain in the morning with heavier showers in the afternoon. High: 21 Celsius Low: 16 Celsius
Environment Canada forecasted 70% chance of showers by noon today, so we set the clock for 6:00am to cover as much ground as we could. Our first light rain shower arrived while we were eating breakfast, which sounds about right when you depend on Environment Canada to help plan your day. On and off light showers would remain for the rest of the morning.
We paddled away from our Misty Lake site just after 7:30 am under cloudy skies and looking to the west we observed streaks of rain in the distance. We remained dry while paddling to the first portage of 840 metres from Misty Lake to Timberwolf Lake and when the rain did start we were sheltered for the most part thanks to the trees along the portage, though the portage was incredibly muddy.
The rain let up again for our second paddle across Timberwolf Lake to our next portage, a 400 metre into McIntosh Lake. While paddling under cloudy skies, autumn colours of reds and oranges popped brilliantly against such a drab and dreary background. McIntosh Lake is a picturesque lake, perhaps a lake to stay at on a future trip into Algonquin. The 680 metre into Straight Shore Lake was muddy, but the 1010 metre portage into Rosswood was the muddiest portage we have ever done in our lives! There were a few muddy spots that would have easily swallowed up your hiking boots (or higher) if you took one step in the wrong direction. The addition of freshly fallen (though beautiful) leaves blanketed all over the portage didn’t help either.
Due to the high water levels we managed to skip over the first section of the 180 metre portage into Brule Lake, however a beaver dam forced us to get out and portage the rest. Brule Lake was a pretty nice lake and we pumped water here. More beautiful fall colours greeted us along with a few cottages.
We debated on checking out what may be left of the Brule Lake Station and town site on the northeast shore, but with more forecasted rain we decided to forego this.
Continuing southeast on Brule Lake we arrived at our last portage for the day, a 720 metre portage which was once part of the old Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway that was constructed in 1894 to 1896. It would have been something to see how the area looked when the rail was first operational, with wood burning locomotives moving through the park. This particular rail line also opened up the park to tourists with passenger trains, and later lodges were built along the railway to accommodate them. Before the creation of highway 60, that would eventually seal the fate of travel by rail, trains transported lumber, tourists, grain and even troops during World War I. This section of rail was used until 1944. With a little bit of research and the correct maps, you can locate old foundations and other relics that makes Algonquin Park an exciting place for anyone that wants to explore its human history.
Unless you have some knowledge about the railway, you would never even know it even existed as it now looks like a rough road. We expected it to be more like the abandoned CNR railway that runs through the park’s eastern and northern end that had slag to walk on. When we portaged sections of that abandoned rail we found all sorts of leftovers including rail spikes and an old bucket which used to contain bolts. What we had here in front of us was a nice flat portage. Even with the rain falling it was one of the more drier portages as well.
We put on our rain jackets, covered our backpacks with our rain covers, and made our way to the put in at Potter Lake which was a little tricky with quite a few rocks. As we began our last paddle for the day on Potter Lake, the rain picked up even more and we wished we also put on our rain pants. We paddled past sites that, according to the map, looked like they backed onto a marsh, a recipe for mosquitoes. We hoped to get the second last site next to the road, but it was already occupied. We settled on the most southern site on Potter Lake which had a nice fire pit (though in this rain it would be a no go) and a nice flat spot to launch and bath. Arriving around 3pm we made pretty good time today, and after quickly setting up the tent we went inside to change into dry clothes. Around 6:00pm the rain let up and we ventured out of the tent to put up the tarp above the seating area for a quick supper. No fire tonight to keep the bugs away so we retreated to the tent early this evening.
This was our last full day, and even though the rain was annoying, the cloudy and cooler temperatures were a nice change and made for some comfortable paddling/portaging.
Wildlife Sightings: Moose tracks, Red Squirrel, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill, Belted Kingfisher, Blue Jay, Common Loon, Wood Duck, American Toads, Black-capped Chickadee, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Raven
Remember to: Aaron needs to bring two pairs of camping pants….in case one gets soaked..
DAY # 9: Potter Lake to Canoe Lake Launch
Weather: Early light showers in the predawn, with overcast skies in the morning. 17C
As with almost all our camping trips, we always struggle to sleep the night before heading out. Though we don’t want to admit it we were somewhat eager to get back to the launch, have a hot shower, some real food, and a glass of cold milk!
We were up before sunrise with the sound of light rain hitting the tent. Listening to the Environment Canada the “partly cloudy” forecast we heard last night now changed to a “60% chance of showers with risk of a thunderstorm”. For @#$% sakes Environment Canada!!
After a great breakfast of GORP and water (you can tell we just want to get going) we entered the lake just after 8:00 am. A short paddle south and it was back to the road for our next portage, a 740 metre into Potter Creek. Potter Creek acted more like a river with some fast moving water, and quite a few rocks! We tried to maneuver as best we could but it was very had to see the rocks when the water was moving so quickly, and we bounced and scrapped our way down the creek. Eventually we made it to what looked like a take out, but there was no portage sign. There was supposed to be two portages along this section according to our map. We decided that this was probably not the portage and pressed on which was a big mistake as the rocks became more numerous and we even got stuck on a rock with the rushing water attempting to dump our canoe! To make matters worse, Marianne had her new sunglasses bumped off her head and into the creek by an overhanging branch. Speaking of rocks, there was probably every colour of the rainbow painted on them along this section of Potter Creek from other canoes. We came across another take out, this time with a portage sign. When we got out of the canoe we quickly looked at the map and realized that what we thought earlier was maybe a portage was indeed the 95 metre portage we were supposed to take. The portage we were at now was a mere 65 metres around more rocks. After this portage, Potter Creek became less of a river and more of a calm winding creek that was easier to navigate. The last portage for the day, and for the whole trip, was a 390 metre around some rapids which was actually NOT muddy! A few more twists and turns and we were on our way back into Canoe Lake. While heading back to the launch we saw what remained of an old bridge built in the mid 1930s. Originally it was bridge to an old sawmill that was built on the western shore of Canoe Lake in the 1920s.
Paddling our way back to the launch we heard the low sound of boat motors and soon we could see boats and people in canoes heading out on their own adventures. Our own adventure was coming to a close when we arrived back to the Canoe Lake launch under cloudy skies just before noon. We put the canoe back on the truck, had a long hot shower, and ate lunch with a big glass of milk at the restaurant here at Canoe Lake. The fall colours were more vibrant here than what they were when we first arrived over a week ago. No busloads of leafers yet but they will soon be arriving en masse. As for us, it was time to say goodbye to Algonquin Provincial Park as we headed back to the cottage to fix the water pump, which we are happy to say went smoothly.
We had a great trip this time in Algonquin, though we have come to the agreement that the north end of the park, launching from either Kiosk or Brent is more our style as it is less crowded than Canoe Lake. Big Trout Lake has definitely become one of our favourite lakes so we will be back! See you soon Algonquin! Sooner than you think!
Wildlife Sightings: Red Squirrel, Northern Raven, Belted Kingfisher, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Great Blue Heron
Remember to: If it looks like a portage ….USE IT!
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